Conventional containers for storing fuel and the like have been known for many years. Typically, these fuel containers have a closeable mouth for permitting the ingress of fuel, or whatever liquid, into the container, and for permitting subsequent egress of the fuel, or other liquid, from the container. The mouth is closeable by means of a cap that might be either a one piece cap or a two piece cap. Commonly, two piece caps include a collar that is also used to retain the removable and replaceable spout in place on the fuel can for dispensing fuel. In order to pour out the liquid from the container, the cap is merely removed from the mouth, and the container is tilted until the mouth is lower than the level of the liquid. Commonly, an air relief opening having its own selectively removable and replaceable cap permits ready airflow into the interior of the container. New environmental regulations are restricting these containers to only one opening.
Containers for storing liquids for transfer are used in many different applications such as for gasoline or other liquid fuels. The containers are filled up with liquid, such as gas, until they are required for use, at which time the liquid must be transferred. When the transfer for use is required, often a pouring nozzle is attached to the opening and the liquid is poured into a receiving receptacle using a funnel seated at the receptacle opening. Sometimes, due to the urgency or simply the lack of materials on hand, no funnel is available to the user, and the liquid is prone to spillage outside of the receiving receptacle. Even with a funnel, the pouring process can be difficult if the funnel is not properly seated. As well, the container, while filled with fluid, has to be lifted by the person pouring. Pouring liquids from these transfer/storage containers can be both awkward and strenuous.
Furthermore, as gasoline is removed from a gasoline container for various purposes, the remaining gasoline expands and fumes are generated to occupy the empty space remaining in the container. These fumes are highly combustible. Numerous people die each year and multiple homes are burned each year due to explosions caused by the ignition of the highly combustible fumes generated in a partially empty gasoline container.
Portable fuel containers have been around for a long time and are necessary for transporting and transferring fuel to numerous vehicles and devices such as lawnmowers, snowmobiles, boats, chainsaws, weed trimmers etc. and transferring the fuel between the portable fuel container and the gas tank of these items is typically done by lifting the container and pouring the fuel into the gas tank.
There have been many attempts at providing a safer method of storing and transporting gasoline via reducing the amount of commingled combustible fumes present in a gasoline container. However, traditional methods have been very cost prohibitive. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,615,455 and 5,979,481 each independently teach apparatuses and methods for the reduction of vapors in a fuel tank in order to reduce the likelihood of an explosion resulting in the fuel tank. However, as illustrated in the '455 patent and the '481 patent, each design includes a compressible filler material contained in the internal space of the tank that is systematically compressed by a bladder or other expandable member to both release the fuel and fill the remaining space. However, both prior art systems require such things as pressure transducers, inert gas regulators, gas compressors, and other complex systems that are both bulky and cost prohibitive. Consequently a need exists for a cost effective system for reducing the likelihood of an explosion occurring with a fuel container.